Child Development & Learning Theories Flashcards

According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, what term describes the difference between what a child can do independently and what they can do with guidance?

Answer: Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is the gap between a child's independent ability and their potential with skilled support.

A toddler sees a new four-legged animal and calls it 'doggie.' According to Piaget, this is an example of:

Answer: Assimilation

Assimilation occurs when a child incorporates new information into an existing schema — here, applying the 'dog' schema to any four-legged animal.

Erik Erikson's stage for children ages 3–5 is best described as:

Answer: Initiative vs. Guilt

Initiative vs. Guilt (ages 3–5) involves children asserting control through play and social interactions; guilt emerges when initiative is discouraged.

Which theorist developed the concept of 'scaffolding' as a teaching strategy linked to the ZPD?

Answer: Jerome Bruner

Jerome Bruner coined the term 'scaffolding' to describe the support adults provide within a child's ZPD, a concept rooted in Vygotsky's theory.

In Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, which system directly includes a child's home, school, and peer group?

Answer: Microsystem

The microsystem contains the immediate environments — home, classroom, peers — where the child has direct interactions.

A child who refuses to share toys at age 3 is most likely demonstrating which Piagetian characteristic?

Answer: Egocentrism

Egocentrism in the preoperational stage means children cannot easily take another's perspective, making sharing conceptually difficult.

Which of the following best illustrates Bandura's concept of self-efficacy in a child care setting?

Answer: A child believes she can finish a puzzle because she completed one before

Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their own capability to succeed; past success is the strongest source of that belief according to Bandura.